Bonbon-machine.



R. GAEBEL.

` BONBON MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLBD Nov. 1, 191.0.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD GARDEL, or DRESDEN, GERMANY.

BONBON-MACHINE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

.Application filed November 1, 1910. Serial No. 590,123.

To all @hom it mag concern:

Be 1t known t at I, RICHARD GAEBEL, a

.subject of the German Emperor, residing at Dresden-A., in Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bonbon-Machines, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention is a bonbon machine, and the object is to provide sim le and eflicient means for cutting and mol ing plastic material, more particularly sugar paste in order to form bonbons from such material, the sugar paste being fed in the form of rope.

An apparatus embodying the invention comprises a pair of coperating endless carriers, such as chains, between which the rope-like plastic material is fed, the cutting and molding of such material being effected partly by means of the shape given to the links of these chains and artly by means of dies which are supported) on other endless carriers. The dies are mounted on their carriers for sliding movement in a direction substantially at right angles to the path of movement of the carriers, and with the dies coperate retracting means and mold impelling means said retracting means being preferably in the form of sprlngs which op crate to impart movement;y to the dies in directions away from each other, `whereas the impellingmeans are positioned to force the corresponding dies of the two series toward each other and into coperative relatlon at a certain point in the movement of the c arriers. The dies are positioned in facing relation, and they are slidable on the carf riers toward and from each other, said dies operating when moved inwardly and into registering relation tocut the plastic mate-v rial and to mold said plastic material in the cavities which constitute the working faces of the aforesaid chain links.

Other features of the invention and the advantages thereof will appear from the following detailed descr1pt1on.

In the drawings: Figure 1 1s a section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating the endless carriers for the dies and the two series of dies together with retracting means for the dies and impelling means operatin to force the dies inwardly toward each ot er and upon the material which is fed between them.

Referring i'n the first place to Fig. 1, the apparatus therein shown comprises two endlesschains 1, which travel on sprocket wheels 4 on shafts 4: and over guide rails 2 whlch converge toward the right-hand pair of sprocket wheels. These chains carry short transverse outwardly directed knives 3, and the sprocket wheels are adjustable so that where the two chains most nearly approach each other the knives 3 of the two chains can be arranged to touch or practically touch each other, or can be spaced so that more or less clearance remains between their edges. The guide-rails 2 are collectively engaged by right and left-hand threads on a pair of screws 15, so that by rotating said screws the rails are uniformi) moved toward or away from each other. A rope of sugar aste is fed between the two chains, as in icated in Fig. 3, and is gripped b v` the knives and finally cut into bonbons, which are either completely severed from each other or remain connected by ligaments of paste, according to the adjustment of the chains. The knives 3 are shaped so that their flanks form complementary parts of semi-cylindrical cavities, and where the knives of the two chains contact the cylinders are completed, with the result that the bonbons are molded into cylindrical shape. At opposite sides of the chains, at the part where the chains approach each other most closely, the reciprocatable dies 16 are thrust between the chains to complete the molding of the paste, or merely to mark the same.

Two endless carriers 1S are employed for supporting the two series of dies 16. The endless carriers are in the form of chains. the links of which are flexibly connected together in any suitable way, and these chains pass around suitable sprocket wheels 4b mounted on shafts 4. The sprocket chains engage with the sprocket wheels so as to be supported thereby, and movement is imparted to the sprocket chains by the rotation of ,the sprocket wheels. The sprocketchains 18 are spaced a suitable distance from each other and the;1 are positioned in parallel relation.

The dies 16 are mounted on thefendless carriers or chains 18 for movement toward and from each other, the dies of one series being in facing relation to the dies of the other series and the two series of dies being 11o tour.

correspondingly.positioned in l,order that the dies will register when forced toward ,each

other. As shown, each die yis a solidwpiece Aot metal having asemi-globular cavity in plan in Fig. 3, the cavities 'of the Idies are in register so as to produce a globular' chamber which molds the material to the 'desired form'.- Obviously, the working faces of the dies may be given any desired conl 'The dies are slidably mounted on the carriers or chainsby any suitable means so that the dies ot oneseries will be movable toward and from the dies of the other series. a stem 17 which is tted' for sliding movement in one link of *chainv 18, each stem being ofsuflicient 'length to enable the dies to have "av comparatively wide range of l movement. i Around beach die stem is fitted a coiled spring, only two springs being shown at 20 in Fig. l3, although it will be understood that the stem of each die is provided with a spring vwhich operates to impart sliding movement to the stem and the die for the purpose of withdrawing ofr retracting said' die from an operative position with respect lto the corresponding die of thev other series. y

For imparting movement to the dies so that they will approach veach other at the propertime, suitable guide bars 19 are employed at the respective sides of chains 18. These guide 'bars Aare inclined for a part of theirlengthand are parallel for the remainder of their length. Furthermore, the guide bars are positioned in the path of stems 17 vso that the stems will be pressed by the springs normally into engagement with the guide bars. As the stems ride upon the inclined parts of the guide bars, the dies are forced :inwardly toward each other, and as the stems ride 4upon the parallel parts ,of the guide then the dies are pressed toward each other to their final positions. It will be noted that the dies are gradually forced inward by the stems riding upon the inclined parts of the ide bars, and thus the dies will be gradual. y forced intotbe plastic material for the purpose of cutting said material from the rope, and when the dies are forced toward each other so as to contact onev with the other, the plastic material is given the 4desired shape or molded within As shown, each die is provided with mienne 'the cavities Detweenthelmives 3 of chains 5 The bperation will be readily understood from the foegoing'description. The plastic material is fed between the dies, and Said dies are movable with the endless carriers. Springs 2O open the dies to theirfull extent,

and as'the dies approach guide bar-'SL19 the stems 17 ride upon theinclined parts of the guide bars.. As' these inclined parts approach each other, the stems anddies-of the two seriesvv are gradually-forced together so that the dies will cut through the material.

'll-he stems are forced-by the parallel parts of the guide' bars inwardly to their nal positions,^ as a result of which the dies are closed and brought into contact with each other. rllhe dies and the material molded therein travel with the chains around the sprocket wheels, thus carrying the stems out of contact with' the guide bars, whereupon the springs QOact onthestems to open the dies for dischargingvthe molded material,

From the foregoing'description itis apparent that the material will be cut and 'molded rapidlv andeconomically, it being preferred to impart traveling movement continuously to the endless carriers and the two series 'of dies," thereon.

What lizclaim as'my invention and desire to secure. by Letters Patent of the United States is ln a bonbon machine, the combination of a pair of coacting endlessfftraveling chains provided with transverse hives shaped to coperate -with each 4other and to constitute open ended chambers, two endless vtraveling carriers positioned one on either side of v the lplane of ythe operation of the traveling chains and adapted to move in synchronism therewith, a series of dies slidably mounted on each of the endless carriers, the dies of one series being positioned in facing relation to the dies of the other series, and spacedto enter vthe aforesaid open ended chambers formed between the transverse. knives of the travelmg chains, means A operatnrlgto .successively advance corresponding dies of the two series toward one another, and means for normallyl retractlng sald dles.

In' witness whereof l have signed this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD GAEBEL. V'Vitnesses:

Pam; Amas, CLRE SIMON. 

